Adoption in Australia

ADOPTION REFORM, ADVOCACY & SUPPORT

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TOPIC 4.2 | National and State Apologies for Forced Adoption

National Apology for Forced Adoptions

On 21 March 2013, the then Prime Minister Julia Gillard apologised on behalf of the Australian Government to people affected by forced adoption or removal policies and practices. The national apology was delivered in the Great Hall of Parliament House, Canberra.

Download the Apology Here

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Commemorative materials

A series of five commemorative journals were made available for people attending the national apology to record their comments, thoughts and reflections. The journals were provided to the National Archives of Australia.

Photos of the event

Photographs taken at the event are available to view and download from the Attorney-General's Department Flickr account. Participants were advised prior to the event that this was a public event and photos would be publicly available.

State Apologies

Several Australian states and territories have issued formal apologies for their role in the forced adoption of Indigenous children and children of unmarried mothers. Below is a list of these apologies, along with the key dates and links to the relevant state or territory websites: